Apparatus and Method for Manufacturing A Composite Golf Club Head
AssigneeCallaway Golf Company
InventorsJames M. Murphy, Herbert Reyes, Robert S. Gonczi, Donald A. Bistline, Andrew A. Goodjohn, James C. Wenck, James A. Nycum
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for manufacturing a preform component for a golf club head composed of a plurality of plies of pre-preg material is disclosed herein. The preform component is preferably a face component, a crown component or a sole component, composed of a plurality of plies of pre-preg material. The apparatus preferably has a plunger head attached to a pneumatic cylinder for compressing the plies of pre-preg sheets within a mold cavity configured to define a preform component.
Claims3
A method for forming preforms for a golf club head, the preforms composed of plies of pre-preg sheets, the method comprising:
- placing a plurality of plies of pre-preg sheets in a mold cavity of a mold, the mold cavity configured to define a preform for a component of a golf club head;
- lowering a plunger head along a longitudinal axis toward the mold cavity, the plunger head configured to compress the plurality of plies of pre-preg sheets into a component of a golf club head;
- compressing the plurality of plies of pre-preg sheets with the plunger head to form a component of a golf club head;
- and
- removing the component of a golf club head from the mold cavity.
A method for forming a sole component for a golf club head, the sole component composed of plies of pre-preg sheets, the method comprising:
- placing a first plurality of plies of pre-preg sheets in a mold cavity of a mold, the mold cavity configured to define a sole component for a golf club head;
- lowering a first plunger head along a longitudinal axis toward the mold cavity, the first plunger head configured to compress the first plurality of plies of pre-preg sheets into a sole component for a golf club head, the plunger head composed of an elastomeric material having a durometer of 25 Shore A to 85 Shore A;
- compressing the first plurality of plies of pre-preg sheets with the first plunger head to form a sole component for a golf club head;
- replacing the first plunger head with a second plunger head, the second plunger head smaller in volume than the first plunger head;
- placing a second plurality of plies of pre-preg sheets in the mold cavity over the first plurality of plies of pre preg sheets;
- lowering the second plunger head along a longitudinal axis toward the mold cavity, the first plunger head configured to compress the second plurality of plies of pre-preg sheets into a sole component for a golf club head;
- compressing the second plurality of plies of pre-preg sheets with the second plunger head to form a sole component for a golf club head;
- removing the sole component of a golf club head from the mold cavity.
A method for forming a crown component for a golf club head, the crown component composed of plies of pre-preg sheets, the method comprising:
- placing a plurality of plies of pre-preg sheets in a mold cavity, the mold cavity configured to define a crown component for a golf club head;
- lowering a plunger head along a longitudinal axis toward the mold cavity, the plunger head configured to compress the plurality of plies of pre-preg sheets into a crown component for a golf club head;
- compressing the plurality of plies of pre-preg sheets with the plunger head to form a crown component for a golf club head;
- and
- removing the crown component for a golf club head from the mold cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.